Day of the Samurai
'''Season 2 Episode 16 '''In Tokyo, at the dojo of Sensei Yoru, his star pupil, a young woman, Kairi Tanaga, is practicing late at night. Her practice is interruptedby a ninja, who knocks her unconscious and carriers her away, leaving behind a message for Yoru. You telephones Bruce Wayne in Gotham City, saying he needs his help. After he and Alfred arrive in Japan, Bruce goes to meet Yoru, wondering innocently how he cn be of service. Yoru says that he hopes Bruce can pass along his message to Batman, whom he "must know." Bruce explains to Alfred the peculiar nature of Kyodai's ransom demand: Yoru is the last living descendant of an ancient master who developed a new fighting art, Kiba no Hoko ("The Way of the Fang"). It was such a dangerous art that the master never taught it to anyone, and hid the only copy of the art's manual in a secret place known only to his family, keeping it a family secret for fivehundred years. Since Yoru has no children, when he dies, he takes the secret with him. Kyodai wants the scroll's location, believing the knowledge will enable him to defeat Batman, whom he now knows is Bruce Wayne, having fought both of them. At the ransom drop, Batman brings a map to the scroll's location. Batman tries to rescue Kairi without giving it up, but Kyodai kicks her off the building's roof, forcing Batman to save her while Kyodai grabs the map. The map guides Kyodai to a cave in the side of Mt. Kijiki, where he finds the scroll hidden in an ancient box. The moment he touches it, however, the aged scroll crumbles to fragments in his hands. Initially distraught, he looks closer and pulls out one intact fragment, which he figures is all he needs. Later, Batman investigates the cave, and returns as Bruce with the fragments to Yoru. Yoru examines them, and finds that the missing piece gives instructions for the o - nemo - ri attack - a death touch. Unfortunately, Yoru never read the scroll, so he cannot tell Bruce where the fatal point is, and so it could be anywhere. For the next phase of his plan, Kyodai kidnaps Alfred, and calls Bruce, ordering him to appear for their final match. Bruce traces the call to Kyodai's hideout, finding it empty, and that Kyodai has destroyed the scroll fragment. They meet on the slope of an active volcano, Kyodai apparently not knowing that the local authorities have noticed it becoming active and evacuated the surrounding area. Before they duel, Kyodai compliments Batman on his mastery of stealth, saying he would have made a fine ninja, Kyodai then removes his mask, and Batman returns the favor. They spar, Bruce trying to avoid contact, even as the volcano begins to erupt and lava flows down the side of the mountain. Then Kyodai lunges and jabs his fingers into a spot on Bruce's chest. Bruce groans and falls, apparently dead. But as Kyodai turns away, Bruce rises, saying the ancient technique doesn't work. The fight continues, but is interrupted when a lava flow splits the ground between them. Kyodai is left trapped on a little islet of rock. Bruce throws a line on a Batarang to Kyodai, telling him to use it to spring over the gap. Silent, Kyodai kicks the Batarang into the lava, then bows to Bruce with utmost respect. Another surge of lava hits the rock, throwing up a cloud of smoke between them. When it clears, Kyodai is gone. Bruce and Alfred make their way to safety. When Alfred asks how he survived the death touch, Bruce pulls a small armor plate form under his tunic and explains that he examined the practice dummy in Kyodai's hideout and found a soft spot that Kyodai had jabbed with his fingers many times. Bruce bids goodbye to Yoru Sensei. Yoru asks Bruce to be sure to pass his respects along to Batman. In a moment of self-doubt, Bruce says that Batman is as much a ninja as Kyodai. Yoru responds, not so: Batman showed mercy to his enemy, and resisted the temptation to use the knowledge of the death touch, making him a true samurai. Bruce thanks his old teacher and departs. Category:DC Animated Universe Category:Batman : The Animated Series